Evan Goldberg Talks ‘Pineapple Express 2’, ‘Sausage Party’ and More

Canadian comedy writing duo, and longtime friends, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, have plenty on their plates with their adaptation of The Green Hornet opening in this week; The Neighborhood Watch and Sausage Party in development; and The Goon wrapping production in Canada. As busy as they are, it looks like they will be adding an additional Pineapple to their already full, er, “pipeline.”

We had the chance to sit down with Evan Goldberg and talk all thingsGreen Hornet, fanboy culture and Canadian comedy, so stay tuned for the full interview. In the interim, here are some updates about Rogen and Goldberg’s impending projects.

Screen Rant: So from what we understand, you and Seth never intended to make a sequel to Pineapple Express but have been getting pressure to do so; and of course, there were rumors that there was going to be a crossover with Pineapple Express and Superbad.

Evan Goldberg: Well, we toyed with that idea right after Pineapple came out; we thought that people would enjoy Mclovin and Franco together; but we’re never going to touch Superbad ever again, that’s a terrible idea. I’m even hesitant to make Pineapple 2, but I’m loosening up to it as of like the last few weeks. Recently we were at Danny Mcbride’s wedding, and we were all there, well David couldn’t make it (David Gordon Green, the director of Pineapple Express); but me, (James) Franco, Seth and Danny were all there and I thought ; ‘this is fun, I have fun with these guys.’

SR: So, it wasn’t in your plan, but you’re getting a bit of pressure to do it. Is that correct?

EG: Yes. Everyone has always wanted to do it, me and Seth were very hesitant, but frankly I was the driving force behind that hesitancy. I just kept thinking, you know not to say we’re the Coen Brothers, because we’re super not – they’re my idols in a lot of ways – but those guys never make a sequel. Like, great, great films don’t have sequels.

SR: I’m gonna take this opportunity to throw out The Godfather 2.

EG: The Godfather 2, yes, but, should we talk about The Godfather 3?

SR: We should never, I wish you wouldn’t.

EG: I’ve never seen it, people told me not to, and I never did.

SR: You haven’t! Oh, well allow me to illuminate you.

At this point, there may have been a momentary pause in discourse in order to create space for this reporter to demonstrate a (truly stellar) reenactment of what is, perhaps, the stiffest death scene ever captured on celluloid: Sophia Coppola’s fall to the knees, and tilt to the side collapse in The Godfather 3. It should also be noted that her last word was “Daddy?”

EG: Wow, now I have to see it.

Our work here is done. (We kid, we kid, we love Sophia Coppola.)

SR: Yes, she is a much better director than she was an actress in that film.

EG: But think about this — what if he never made two or three? What’s better, making one and two, or just making one? ‘I just made the best movie ever, goodbye.’

SR: Well, some would argue that two is actually better.

EG: I actually like two more.

SR: Me too. Okay! So absolutely no crossover with Superbad?

EG: There will definitely not be — hopefully, there will be a sequel.

Just as we are coming to a consensus on the varied and sundry merits of sequels (Empire Strikes Back for example) alas! The dreaded two-minute warning knock raps on the door.

SR: Alright! Tell our readers everything exciting that you have coming up in two minutes or less!

EG: Okay, the two things that we’ve got going on, well there are three things that are exciting. I wrote a movie with Jay Baruchel called The Goon that they just filmed in Canada. That’s a hockey movie, if anyone likes hockey, they’re gonna like that movie.

The Goon tells the story of a bouncer, played by Seann William Scott, who has been “touched by the fist of God,” and joins a down-an-out Hockey team in order to lead them to divinely ordained victory. Baruchel plays William Scott’s best friend.

EG: Jay and Seth Vs. The Apocalypse, were outlining it, were getting close, we’re going to start writing the script soon. Now for our super project, Sausage Party. Sausage Party is an idea that me, Seth and Jonah Hill came up with, and we’re all going to make it, Seth and Jonah are going to be the stars and Conrad Vernon – who directed Shrek 2 and Monsters Vs. Aliens – is producing it with me and Seth. It’s a Rated-R, super dirty, mockery of a Pixar movie about sausages in a supermarket that need to get back to their aisle before the fourth of July.

SR: Speaking of good ol’ U.S. of A. holidays, you seem to have this tight-knit group of comedic Canadians that you work with, is this about a genetic predisposition to humor for those from cold, damp climates? Or do you just hate America?

EG: (Laughing) I have a theory actually. You know we got hired on the Ali G show, and I believe we were hired because we are Americans, who are not Americans.

SR: Hmm, how does that work?

EG: We’re the closest thing to an American who’s not an American. We told them that we wanted to do a joke about American spring break, but they didn’t understand how, because they don’t understand what happens in America — and maybe to an American it’s like ‘yeah, spring break is AWESOME!’

SR: Debatable, but continue.

EG: To us, from Canada, its like (I mean I’m sure it’s the funnest time ever) but its like all the kids acting like morons, Girls Gone Wild, so we just have a little different perspective. I’m not precious about anything American, because I’m not an American.

SR: So, you understand the culture, but your not attached to it, so you can make fun of it in a more effective manner?

EG: That’s what I would say, yeah.

SR: Good, because I’m going to say that you did.

EG: Maybe that’s why the South Park guys are so G**D**n funny when they make fun of Canada.

SR: That’s hilarious; but its also easy, because its not even really a Country they’re talking about.

(We kid, we kid! We love Canada.)

EG: It’s not, there’s not even really much there. No, its the perfect place (lamenting) I want to go home.

SR: (In best Family Guy “Consuela” voice) Nooooo.

EG: I love Canada. I love the cold, I don’t like hot weather. I like the cold and damp.

SR: Now your just talking crazy.

Stay tuned for more from our conversation with Evan in the coming days.